ZIP code areaZIP center Water utility service area PFOA/PFOS ≥ 4 ppt Lead > 15 ppb 5+ violations Superfund site (active) proposed cleaned up Circles: other water systems flagged nearby; size = people served. Tap any symbol for details.

Drinking water: probably a private well

No community water system’s service area covers the center of ZIP 01885, and no system lists it. In rural areas that usually means private wells. The EPA does not regulate private wells: owners should test once a year for coliform bacteria and nitrate, and every few years for arsenic, lead, uranium and other local concerns. Your county health department can recommend a certified lab.

Radon in Essex

EPA radon zone 1 — highest potential. Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →

Superfund sites nearby

Site	Status	Distance
Haverhill Municipal Landfill Haverhill, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD980523336	Active (final NPL)	3.4 mi
Groveland Wells Groveland, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD980732317	Active (final NPL)	3.4 mi
Sutton Brook Disposal Area Tewksbury, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD980520696	Active (final NPL)	9.7 mi

EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.

Buying a home in West Boxford? See the 2026 conforming, FHA and jumbo loan limits for Essex →

What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.

Questions about 01885

Does ZIP 01885 have public water?

No community water system service area covers the center of ZIP 01885, and none lists it. Homes here most likely use private wells, which no agency tests — owners should test yearly for bacteria and nitrate, and every few years for arsenic, lead and other local concerns.

Are there Superfund sites near 01885?

The nearest active Superfund site is 3.4 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Haverhill Municipal Landfill (3.4 mi, Active (final NPL)); Groveland Wells (3.4 mi, Active (final NPL)); Sutton Brook Disposal Area (9.7 mi, Active (final NPL)).

Is radon a problem in Essex?

Essex is in EPA radon zone 1 (highest potential). Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.